Collapsible carton



7, 1954 w. H. INMAN 2,686,629

COLLAPSIBLE CARTON Original Filed July 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l l3 l4 l6 1N VENTOR. WILL/AM H. INMAIV 4. 3 HIS ATTORNEY W. H. INMAN COLLAPSIBLE CARTON Aug. 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 27 1951 INVENTOR. WILL/AM H. lNMld/V HIS ATTORNEY 1954 w. H. INMAN COLLAPSIBLE CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 27 1951 INVENTOR. WILLIAM H. INMAW HIS )ITTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1954 COLLAPSIBLE CARTON William H. Inman, Newark, N. Y., assignor to Bloomer Bros. Company, Newark, N. Y., a corporation of New York Continuation of abandoned application Serial No. 238,932, July 27, 1951. This application April 30, 1953, Serial No. 352,160

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to set-up, collapsible, cardboard cartons of the variety having bottom flaps so constructed as to be automatically unfolded and extended by erecting manipulation of the side walls, to conveniently distend the carton for filling withthe desired contents. Cartons of this nature are commonly used to distribute food products, includin frozen foods, and the carton walls tend to adhere to such contents, as ice cream, for example, so as to be difficult-to separate and open without such damage to the carton as to make it unsuitable for further use. To avoid this difficulty, other cartons have been so constructed as to be not only easily opened, but with parts adapted to become disconnected from one another to more fully expose the contents, thus also rendering the carton unfit for further use. This application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 238,932, filed July 2], 1951, Collapsible Carton, now abandoned.

One object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved carton of the general character described and so constructed as to be readily opened for access to the contents, but kept substantially intact and in condition for being closed again for further preservation of its remaining contents.

Another object is to supply a carton of this nature so constructed as to be readily manufactured and to be conveniently erected for filling, as well as convenient for use by the consumer as described above.

A further object is the provision of a carton constructed as described and capable of being readily opened by the consumer and conveniently closed again without soiling the fingers, for return to the refrigerator to preserve an unused portion of the contents.

Still a further object is to afford a carton having the above advantages in a form capable of being readily manufactured in quantity lots, by known machines andat relatively low cost.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cardboard blank for forming the carton;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with bottomflap portions folded over and glue applied;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the blank as seen from the right in Fig. 2 but with outer wall portions partly folded over toward, glued position;

i is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the parts glued together and the carton in collapsed condition;

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are top plan views of the inside of the carton in progressive positions of erection for filling;

Figs. 8, 9 and 19 are bottom plan views of the outside of the carton in progressive positions of erection for filling, corresponding to Figs. 5, 6 and '7;

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the carton showing the same erected, filled and closed;

Fig. 12 is a similar View of the carton after being opened to remove a portion of the contents;

Fig. 13 is a similar view but showing the carton after being opened and closed again;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing a slightly modified construction;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the modification of 14 in process of being folded and glued, and

Fig. 16 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the modification of Fig. 1% with the parts glued together and the carton in collapsed condition.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed by way of illustration is preferably made with a one-piece cardboard blank, such as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, cut and scored to form front, side,.rear and closure walls I, 2, ii and i, respectively, separated by parallel scored fold lines 5, t and as shown. Closure wall 4 carries a securing strip 8 adapted to be detachably glued to the free edge portion i of the opposite or front wall i when the walls are folded over, as hereafter described. Closure wall t also has its inner surface cut or otherwise scored along a line 0 to produce a weakened surface area I l for a purpose hereafter described. Front wall I has a slit iii extending inwardly from its free edge adjacent one end thereof, for a purpose hereafter described.

Walls l to A, inclusive, are provided with top closure flaps it to it, respectively, which are foldablyconnected therewith along a score line ll. Flap i3 is formed with a slit E8 to receive a tongue or hook I 9 on flap it for securing these top flaps in position for closing the top of the: carbon through which it is filled with the desired contents.

Front and rear walls l and 3 carry bottom closure flaps 2t and 2i foldably connected therewith alonga score line 22. These flaps are provided with score lines 2% and 25, respectively, extend- 111g, diagonally across and separating each of them into two sections, as 23 and 21, so that each may be folded on itself and folded over the side wall to which it is connected, as further described hereafter. Flap 2i carries a relatively narrow flange 23 foldably connected therewith along a score line 29 and one end of the flange has a finger-like extension 30 foldably connected therewith along a score line 3!. The outer free edges of flaps 2E) and El have the irregular shape shown in the drawing, including notches 32 and 33, respectively, for engagement with each other in the erected position, as hereafter described. Side wall 2 has a substantially rectangular inner bottom flap 23 foldably connected therewith along line 22, between flaps Eli and El and flap 23 is crossed by a score line, as shown, to enable it to bend more flexibly while in contact with the front wall 1! during the erection of the carton as hereafter described.

In the folding and gluing of the blank, as shown in Fig. 2, bottom flap 20 is folded on itself and folded inwardly over wall I as shown. Flap 23 is folded over side wall 2. Flap 2! is folded upon itself and folded over walls 2 and 3. Flange 28 is folded inwardly over the folded flap, as shown. In this position of the parts, glue is applied to a restricted area 34 of flap 23 and to the exposed side of flange 28 and its extension 38, as shown at 35 and 35a, respectively, a small portion 36 of flange 28 being preferably left unglued for en-- gagement by a positioning part of a gluing machine. Glue is likewise applied in a narrow band 37 on securing strip 3, adjacent its line of fold, leaving an unglued outer edge portion 38 to provide a free, pull tab which is preferably extended as at 39.

In the further folding and gluing of the blank, the front wall I with its inwardly folded flap 20 is folded over side wall 2 and its inwardly folded bottom flap 23, as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time, flap 2| and its flange 23 are folded down and the flange extension 33 is guided to enter between front wall I and its inwardly folded flap 23, with the result that extension 33 is glued to the inner side of the front wall. Closure wall 4 is folded down over rear wall 3 and its inwardly folded flange 23, so that the flange is glued to the weakened area ll of the underside of wall A. Securing strip 3 is simultaneously pressed down over and glued to the free edge of front wall I, thus completing the folding and gluing of the carton, in the compact, collapsed condition shown in Fig. 4, ready for storage and shipment to the ice cream dispenser.

When it is desired to erect the carton for filling, this is quickly accomplished by inward pressure against the folded edges, which serves to separate and distend the side walls in the progressive manner shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, as viewed through the open top of the container and in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, as from a bottom view. The separation of the front wall i from the side wall 2 tends to pull the inwardly folded flap 2! and inner bottom flap 23 to erected position, while the separation of closure wall 4 and rear wall 3 pulls inwardly folded flap 2| toward erected position. In such movement a portion of the edge of flap 20 rides under a portion of the edge of flap 2|, while a portion of the edge of flap 2| rides under a portion of the edge of flap 20, with the result that the opposing edges slide along one another in crossing relation and finally bring about their interengagement in notches 32 and 33, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Such engagement tends to limit the erecting movement with these inwardly folding flaps in a position normal to the walls of the carton and the erecting movement is further limited by the erectin movement of the inner bottom fiap 23 and its engagement with the inside of flaps 2B and 2| along the bottom corners of the carton. The bottom flaps are quickly snapped to such erected position by merely pressing the opposite corners of the carton, as stated, leaving the top closure flaps I3 to I6, inclusive, in open position to receive the contents. The carton, resting on its bottom, is then filled and top closure flaps l4 and iii are folded down across the filling opening in order, after which flap I3 is folded down, followed by flap I5 the tongue [9 of which is engaged in slit it of flap 13 to secure the closure of the top or filling opening. It will be noted that tongue I9 is on the flap of the rear wall to which the closure wall is hinged and is pointed in the direction of the closure wall so that an opening pu11 on the latter serves to keep the tongue engaged in slit l 8 and that end of the carton closed. The carton is then in the condition shown in Fig. 11, for delivery to the consumer.

For opening the carton, the unglued free edge 38 of securing strip 8, and particularly its extension 39, are readily grasped and pulled to separate the securing strip from the front wall and the closure wall 4 from the flange 28. For this purpose, a surface slit or other score line may be provided at 40 on the securing strip, adjacent its line of folding with wall 4 to prevent an extension of surface peeling into wall 4. The surface area ll, weakened and limited by the score l0, provides ready separation of the closure wall 4 from flange 28, either by separation of the glue itself or of surface portions of area ll. These provisions, together with the fact that the closure wall is glued only along the narrow bands 35 and 31, insure ready separation of the closure wall for raising to open the carton. Finger 30, which is secured, to front wall I, maintains a connection between the front and rear walls I and 3, respectively, and holds them in erected position as in Fig. 12, and at the same time holds the bottom flaps in engagement, thereby preventing the bottom closure from separating as the carton is opened.

Top flap it, which does not contact the contents, is readily raised and the closure wall 4 thus easily raised to the open position shown in Fig. 12 in which extension 30 of flange 28 remains glued to the inner side of the front wall so as to maintain connection between the front and rear walls and maintain the bottom closure flaps in erected position. The remaining top closure flaps are maintained in closed position, so that the carton is maintained in shape while as much of the contents as desired is dipped out.

To close the carton again and preserve the residue of the contents for future consumption, the closure wall 4 is folded down with its top flap [6 inserted between top flaps I 3 and i4 and with its securing strip 8 inserted inside the top edge of front wall I. One end of the securing strip, however, is inserted through the slit [2 of the front wall so as to extend on the outside of the front wall in separated relation with the carton contents, as shown at 4! in Fig. 13. This effectively closes the carton, ready for return to the refrigerator, while preserving a clean portion 4| of the cover which may be grasped to raise it without soiling the fingers.

In a slightly modified construction, the fingerlike extension 30 of the closure wall cover may have glue applied to its inner side 42 (Fig. 15) or glue may be applied in a band at the top of the derstood in the art, the closure wall then opening in a left hand direction from the rear side of the carton as shown in Fig. l.

The invention, as herein disclosed, comprises related embodiments of the invention disclosed in my copending patent application, Serial No. 238,931, filed July 2'7, 1951, and certain features disclosed but not claimed herein are claimed in my said copending application.

It is apparent from the above description that the invention provides a carton which may be readily and economically manufactured from the usual materials and by known methods and standard machines, in compact collapsed condition for storage and shipment to. the food dispenser. The latter may quickly erect the carton by merely pressing its opposite corners to erect its automatic bottom and then fill it and close its top in the usual manner, ready for delivery to the consumer. The consumer can easily open the carton to remove a portion of its contents by pulling on the pull tab 8 so as to raise the cover to open condition in which the contents may be readily dipped out to the extent desired.

. The carton may then be readily closed to preserve its remaining contents by closing and securing the cover as described, a portion of the pull tab being conveniently disposed on the outside of the front wall to provide means for further opening of the cover without soiling the fingers.

twill thus be seen that. the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit or the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

, I claim: i

1. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a blank out, scored and folded to form foldably connected side walls and a closure wall, a detachable connection betweensaid closure wall and the opposite side wall for securing said closure wall in closed position, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of opposite side walls having bottom closure flaps foldably connected therewith and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said fold line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap foldably connected with an intermediate side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps, and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between said walls and detachably glued to said closure wall with an end of said flange having a glued connection with said opposite side wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said side walls and said closure wall being detachable from said side wall and from all 6 said flange and movable to open position to expose the carton contents with the carton in erected condition.

2. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected front, rear and side walls and a closure wall foldably hinged to said rear wall, a detachable connection between said closure wall and said frontwall, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said front and rear walls and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said fold line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap foldably connected with said side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps, and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between the front and rear walls and detachably glued to said closure wall with one end thereof extended and glued to said front wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement thereof and said closure wall being detachable from said front wall and from said flange and movable to open position to expose the carton contents with the carton in erected condition.

3. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form front, rear and side walls and a closure wall foldably hinged to said rear wall, a securing strip on said closure wall detachabl glued to the free edge of said front wall, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said front and rear walls and each provided with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, a bottom closure flap foldably connected with said side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between the front and rear walls and detachably glued to said closure wall with one end thereof extended and glued to said front wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement thereof, said inwardly folding flaps having notched edges for engagement with each other to locate the same in erected position, and said securing strip and closure wall being detachable from said front wall and from said flange and movable to openposition to expose the carton contents with the carton in erected condition.

4. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form front, rear and side walls and a closure wall foldably hinged to the top of i said rear wall, a securing strip on said closure wall detachably glued to the free edge of said front wall and having a free pull tab, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said front and rear walls .and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap on said side wall having the size and shape of the inside bottom of the carton to cover the same and having a glued connection with the inwardly folding flap of said front wall, and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between said walls and detachably glued to said closure wall .with one end extended and glued to said front wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement thereof, and. said securing strip and closure wall being detachable from said front wall and flange and movable to open position to expose the carton contents with the carton in erected condition.

5. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably-connected side walls and a closure wall, a detachable connection between said closure wall and the opposite side wall for securing said closure wall in closed position, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of opposite side walls having bottom closure flaps foldably connected therewith and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said fold line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap foldably connected with an intermediate side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps, and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between said walls and detachably glued to said closure wall with an end of said flange extended and glued to one of said side walls, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said side walls and said closure wall being detachable from said opposite side wall and from said flange and movable to open position to expose the carton contents with the carton in erected condition.

6. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected side walls and a closure wall, a securing strip on said closure wall, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of opposite side walls having bottom closure flaps foldably connected therewith and each provided with a fold lin and adapted to fold inwardly at said line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, and a bottom closure flap foldably connected with the intermediate side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps, the other of said inwardly folding flaps having a flange extending foldably inwardly between said walls with an end of said flange extended and glued to the opposite side wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement thereof and said closure wall being movable to open position with the carton in erected position, the free edge of said side wall opposite said closure wall having an inwardly extending slit adjacent one end thereof, and said closure wall in closed position having a major portion of said securing strip inserted inside said free edge and an end portion extending outwardly through said slit and thereby separated from contact with the carton contents for manually grasping to move said closure wall without soiling the fingers.

7. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form front, rear and side walls and a closure wall foldably hinged to the top of said rear wall, a securing strip on said closure wall, top closure flaps on said walls, a pair of bottom closure flaps foldably connected with said front and rear walls and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwardly at said line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap on said side wall having substantially the size and shape of the inside bottom of the carton to cover the same and having a glued connection with the inwardly folded flap of said front wall and a flange on the other of said inwardly folding flaps extending foldably inwardly between said front and rear walls with one end extended and glued to said front wall, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected position normal to said walls by erecting movement thereof, the free edge of said front wall having an inwardly extending slit adjacent one end thereof and said closure wall in closed position having a major portion of said strip inserted inside said free edge and an end portion extending outwardly through said slit and thereby separated from contact with the 1 carton contents for manual grasping to manipulate said closure wall without soiling the fingers.

8. A collapsible carton having a self-erecting bottom comprising a one-piece blank cut, scored and folded to form foldably connected front, rear, side and closure walls, a detachable connection between said closure wall and the free edge of said front wall, top closure flaps on said Walls, bottom closure flaps on certain of said walls comprising a pair of flaps foldably connected with said front and rear Walls and each formed with a fold line and adapted to fold inwadrly at said fold line between said walls when said walls are collapsed, an inner bottom closure flap foldably connected with said side wall and having a glued connection with one of said inwardly folding flaps, said bottom closure flaps being moved to erected closed position normal to said walls by erecting movement of said walls, and a flange foldably connected with the other of said inwardly 

